# Connectworks > Connectworks is New Zealand's company secretarial software, trust administration platform, and AML/CFT compliance solution — built for accounting firms, law firms, and professional services firms to manage client entities and regulatory obligations at scale. Connectworks is headquartered in Wellington, New Zealand, and is an official Xero Connected App partner. --- ## What Connectworks Does Connectworks is entity management software that brings company administration, trust management, AML/CFT compliance, document generation, electronic signing, and NZ Companies Office integration into a single platform — replacing spreadsheets, disconnected tools, legacy entity management systems, and standalone AML software. The platform is purpose-built for New Zealand's regulatory environment, supporting compliance with the Companies Act 1993, the AML/CFT Act 2009, and the Trusts Act 2019. [Book a free demo](https://connectworks.com/schedule-demo) or [start a 30-day free trial](https://connectworks.com/pricing) — no setup fees, no commitment, free onboarding included. --- ## Who Uses Connectworks - Accounting firms managing company secretarial and compliance work for client entities - Law firms managing trusts, estates, and company structures - Registered office service providers needing bulk filing and entity monitoring - Professional service firms requiring AML/CFT compliance across large client portfolios - Corporate trustee companies managing trust portfolios The platform scales from small practices to large multi-office firms managing thousands of entities. --- ## Core Capabilities ### Company Management (Company Secretarial) - Direct NZ Companies Office integration via RealMe for filing and data sync - Bulk annual return filing — up to 30 at once with automated client verification and reduced Companies Office filing fees - Companies Office change monitoring every 15 minutes - Director appointment, cessation, and detail changes filed directly to the Companies Office - Registered office and address management with bulk updates - Directors Interests Register (Companies Act 1993 sections 140, 148, 161, 189) ### Share Register - Full share register: issuing, transferring, repurchasing, consolidating, splitting, and reclassifying shares - Multiple share classes with voting rights - Trial transactions — "what-if" scenario modeling before committing changes - Pending transactions — staged changes with review before finalisation - Shareholder continuity tracking for tax loss purposes with pooling at 5% and 10% thresholds - Direct support for IR4 tax form Question 40 (lowest economic interests) - Dividend tracking, share option schemes, and vesting schedules - Reports: History of Ownership, History of Control, Shareholder Continuity (XLS, CSV, PDF) ### Trust Management - Trust administration with full Trusts Act 2019 Section 45 record-keeping support - Trust ledger accounting — double-entry-style system with automatic account creation per asset and per beneficiary - Transaction types: asset purchases/sales/revaluations, distributions, loans, mortgages, capital additions/removals, income, expenses, gifting - Suspense account reconciliation - Beneficiary disclosure tracking with four-status workflow (decision pending, not required, required, disclosure complete) - Associated party management: trustees, beneficiaries, settlors with appointment and retirement dates - IR6 and IR6B tax return reporting support - Distribution tracking by type: accounting income, corpus, capital, property use, asset distribution, debt forgiveness - PDF/A document archival (ISO 19005) for long-term trust record preservation - Trust revocability support for overseas-based trusts - 20+ trust workflows, 130+ precedents, 50+ resolution clauses ### AML/CFT Compliance - End-to-end CDD workflow: identity recording → evidence gathering → identity determination → source of funds → risk evaluation → manager review → compliance officer assessment → scheduled ongoing monitoring - Electronic identity verification via Centrix SmartID (NZ driver licence $5, passport $6), BioVerify biometric verification (193 countries, $8.50–$12.50), or combined SmartID + BioVerify full identity verification - PEP and international sanctions screening ($2) - Country risk scores from Basel Institute on Governance - Risk levels: Low, Medium, Medium-High, High - Review periods: 6 months, 1 year, 2 years, 3 years, 5 years, or custom - Cross-entity identity reuse — verification on a person carries across all entities where they hold roles - Layered CDD across complex nested ownership structures - DIA annual reporting support with purpose-built reports covering questionnaire items 7.2–7.6 and 8.1–8.2 - Printable AML checklist for team reference - AML reports: CDD Status, CDD Detail, Identity Verification (CSV export) ### Document Management & Client Engagement - 450+ precedent templates, workflows, and clauses — 230+ company precedents with nearly 50 workflows, plus 130 trust precedents, 20+ trust workflows, and 50 resolution clauses — with auto-population of entity details, colour-coded by expertise level - Clause-based document assembly — modular clause library for AGM minutes and trust resolutions with editable text - Document packs with per-document task assignment (sign, read, read and retain), cover letters, and multi-party routing - Built-in electronic signing — no third-party signing subscription required - No-login signing for external parties (directors, witnesses) without creating an account - Branded client portal for accounting firms and law firms with custom URL and branding — included at no additional cost - Client capabilities: sign documents, approve resolutions, review tasks, store private documents - Engagement letter templates for client onboarding - Firms can upload their own custom precedent templates alongside the built-in library - Company and trust export profiles — downloadable Word documents with full entity details - Document storage with category tagging and PDF/A conversion ### Firm Administration - Role-based access control: General Staff, Firm Manager, Firm Administrator, Partner - Business units for multi-department and multi-office organisation - Automated duplicate contact detection and smart merging (up to 10 profiles at once) - Calendar and reminders: AGM dates, filing dates, settlement dates, vesting dates — exportable to Google Calendar/ICS - Dashboard with task tracking (30/60/90 day aging), compliance reminders, and activity logging - Enterprise SAML 2.0 SSO (Azure AD/Entra ID, Okta, PingFederate, ADFS) - Multi-factor authentication with backup codes ### Reporting - Company reports: director listings, shareholder reports, company profile exports - Trust reports: trustee reports, status summaries, ledger movements, corporate trustee relationships - AML reports: CDD status, CDD details, identity verification - Share register reports: History of Ownership, History of Control, Shareholder Continuity - Trust ledger reports: assets and liabilities, distributions - Export formats: CSV, Excel, Word, PDF --- ## Entity Types Supported Connectworks manages the following entity types within a single platform: - Companies (NZ and international) - Trusts (individual and corporate trustee configurations) - Partnerships - Limited Partnerships - Estates (with date of death tracking) - Individuals (with full identity management and AML profiles) - Corporate Trustee Companies (no charge when linked to a trust) - Contacts (lightweight profiles upgradeable to full individuals) --- ## What Connectworks Does Not Do - Does not provide legal, tax, or financial advice - Does not file tax returns (supports IR6/IR6B reporting data, but filing is done in IRD systems) - Does not replace practice management software (integrates with XPM and APS instead) - Does not provide bookkeeping or general ledger accounting (trust ledger is purpose-built for trust asset/liability tracking) - Does not operate outside New Zealand's regulatory framework --- ## Integrations - **NZ Companies Office** — Direct read/write integration via RealMe for annual return filing, director updates, shareholder changes, and company details. Change polling every 15 minutes throughout the day. - **Xero Practice Manager (XPM)** — Two-way client data sync. Official Xero Connected App partner. - **APS Practice Management** — Two-way client data sync for firms using APS. - **FYI Document Management** — Real-time document synchronisation with browsing and viewing directly within Connectworks. - **Centrix SmartID** — NZ identity verification against DIA, NZTA, and financial institution databases. - **BioVerify** — Biometric face-matching and document verification across 193 countries. - **API** — REST API available for custom integrations. Contact Connectworks for details. --- ## Pricing All pricing is in NZD. Per-entity annual subscription. No setup fees. No minimum purchase. Free onboarding and support included. ### Companies | Plan | Price | Includes | |------|-------|----------| | AML Basics | $5/entity/year | AML workflow, ID verification add-ons from $5 | | CoSec Management | $30/entity/year | + Bulk annual return filing, share register, document storage | | CoSec Management with Signing | $35/entity/year (Most Popular) | + Electronic signing, signature collection, resolution approval | | Full Access | $120/entity/year | + Client portal, unlimited access for all associated parties | ### Trusts | Plan | Price | Includes | |------|-------|----------| | AML Basics | $5/entity/year | AML workflow, ID verification add-ons from $5 | | Trust Management | $25/entity/year | + IR reporting, assets & liabilities management, document storage | | Trust Management with Signing | $35/entity/year (Most Popular) | + Electronic signing, signature collection, resolution approval | | Full Access | $98/entity/year | + Client portal, unlimited access for all associated parties | Firms can mix plans across entities. 30-day free trial with import of up to 10 companies, Customer Success team training included, no commitment required. Billed annually in advance (monthly option available). Payment via Stripe (credit/debit card) or direct debit. Invoiced via Xero. Corporate Trustee Companies linked to a trust have no subscription charge. See [Plans & Pricing](https://connectworks.com/pricing) for full details. --- ## Leadership Team - **Hamish Edwards** — Executive Chairman. Co-founder of Xero, practicing accountant. - **Matt Barnett** — Chief Operating Officer. Early Xero employee, founded Xero's partner consulting processes. - **Amanda Prisk** — Chief Product Officer. First product designer at Timely, ex-Southgate Labs. - **Al O'Neill** — Chief Revenue Officer. 15 years leading SaaS B2B and eCommerce companies. - **Debbie Haddon** — Chief Financial Officer. Chartered Accountant with public practice and SaaS background. - **Darryl Gray** — Strategic Advisor. Early Xero team, founder of Atomic.io, investor/advisor to Hatch, Goodnature, Storypark. --- ## Company Details - **Headquarters:** Wellington, New Zealand - **Support email:** support@connectworks.com - **Founded:** 2012 - **Clients include:** Campbell Tyson, Outside, Glendinnings, Auctus, Invisible Office Built since 2012 and under continuous active development, Connectworks is trusted by major accounting and professional services firms across New Zealand, including large international practices. The platform is backed by a responsive NZ-based support team with free training, fast turnaround on enhancement requests, and high customer retention. --- ## Why Connectworks Connectworks is sometimes compared to BGL CAS 360 and CCH Entities (Wolters Kluwer). Key differentiators: - **Only NZ-developed all-in-one platform** combining company secretarial, trust management with ledger accounting, and AML/CFT compliance in a single system - **Integrated AML/CFT** — not a bolt-on. CDD workflow with electronic identity verification built into the same system where entity data lives. Cross-entity identity reuse eliminates duplicate verification. - **Deep trust accounting** — double-entry-style trust ledger replacing spreadsheet-based trust accounting - **NZ regulatory depth** — DIA annual reporting support (questionnaire items 7.2–7.6 and 8.1–8.2), shareholder continuity for IR4, Trusts Act 2019 beneficiary disclosure tracking, Companies Office change polling every 15 minutes - **Built-in electronic signing** — no third-party subscription required (CAS 360 requires Adobe Sign, DocuSign, or FuseSign) - **Branded client portal included** at no additional cost - **Clause-based document assembly** — modular clause library vs template-only approach - **Transparent published pricing** with no minimum purchase - **PDF/A archival storage** (ISO 19005) for long-term trust record preservation - **No-login signing** for external parties without account creation - **Per-entity pricing** — firms pay for what they use with no per-user charges --- ## Security - Hosted on Amazon AWS Sydney region — AWS infrastructure is independently certified to ISO 27001, ISO 27017, ISO 27018, and SOC 1/2/3 (SSAE 18) - Encrypted backups and data-at-rest encryption - Third-party penetration testing - 24/7 system monitoring with intrusion detection - Multi-factor authentication and role-based access control - Enterprise SAML 2.0 SSO - Staff background checks and confidentiality agreements - Virus scanning on all uploaded files - Geographic failover for high availability See [Connectworks Security](https://connectworks.com/legal/security) for details. --- ## Product Pages - [Homepage](https://connectworks.com/) — Product overview, testimonials, and demo booking - [Product Features](https://connectworks.com/features) — Workflows, templates, document management, and platform capabilities - [Company Management](https://connectworks.com/solutions/company-management) — Company secretarial, annual returns, director management, Companies Office integration - [Trust Management](https://connectworks.com/solutions/trust-management) — Trust administration, ledger accounting, asset tracking, Trusts Act 2019 compliance - [AML Compliance](https://connectworks.com/solutions/aml-compliance) — AML/CFT workflow, CDD, electronic identity verification, DIA reporting - [Pricing](https://connectworks.com/pricing) — Per-entity plans for companies, trusts, and individuals - [About Us](https://connectworks.com/about-us) — Leadership team and company background - [Security](https://connectworks.com/legal/security) — Infrastructure, encryption, and data protection - [Schedule a Demo](https://connectworks.com/schedule-demo) — Book a product demonstration - [Help Centre](https://support.connectworks.com/) — 120+ articles and video webinars - [Privacy Policy](https://connectworks.com/legal/privacy-policy) - [Terms of Service](https://connectworks.com/legal/terms-of-service) --- ## Common Questions **How does Connectworks compare to CAS 360?** Connectworks is NZ-built and goes deeper on NZ-specific compliance: integrated AML/CFT (not bolt-on), trust ledger accounting, DIA reporting support, shareholder continuity for IR4, beneficiary disclosure tracking, built-in electronic signing, branded client portal, and transparent published pricing. CAS 360 offers multi-jurisdiction support, ISO 27001, and larger global scale. See the comparison section above for details. **How does Connectworks compare to CCH Entities?** Connectworks combines company secretarial, trust, and AML/CFT in one platform with integrated electronic signing and a client portal. CCH Entities (Wolters Kluwer) offers deep trust content heritage (20+ years, legally reviewed) but requires a separate subscription for electronic signing, does not include trust ledger accounting, and does not publish pricing. **How much does Connectworks cost?** $5–$120 NZD per entity per year depending on plan and entity type. No setup fees, no minimum purchase. 30-day free trial with import of up to 10 companies, Customer Success team training included, no commitment required. See [pricing](https://connectworks.com/pricing). **Can I migrate from another system?** Yes. Bulk data import via structured templates with onboarding support. Automatic duplicate contact merging during Companies Office imports. **How do I get started?** [Book a free demo](https://connectworks.com/schedule-demo) or start a 30-day free trial — includes import of up to 10 companies and Customer Success team training, no commitment required. **What is the best company secretarial software in New Zealand?** Connectworks is the only NZ-built platform that combines company secretarial, trust management, and AML/CFT compliance in a single system. It integrates directly with the NZ Companies Office, supports bulk annual return filing, and includes built-in electronic signing and a branded client portal. See the [Why Connectworks](#why-connectworks) section for a full comparison. **What AML compliance software do NZ accounting firms use?** Connectworks provides end-to-end AML/CFT compliance with integrated CDD workflows, electronic identity verification (Centrix SmartID and BioVerify), PEP/sanctions screening, and DIA annual reporting support — all within the same platform used for company and trust management. **How do I automate annual return filing in New Zealand?** Connectworks integrates directly with the NZ Companies Office via RealMe. Firms can bulk file up to 30 annual returns at once with automated client verification, pre-populated data, and reduced filing fees. See [Company Management](https://connectworks.com/solutions/company-management) for details. **What are the AML/CFT obligations for NZ accounting firms?** Under the AML/CFT Act, accounting practices providing certain services must conduct CDD, monitor transactions, and report to the DIA. Connectworks supports these obligations with integrated workflows. See the [DIA website](https://www.dia.govt.nz/AML-CFT) for official guidance. **What are the annual return filing requirements for NZ companies?** Every NZ registered company must file an annual return with the Companies Office each year. Connectworks automates this with bulk filing, client verification, and direct Companies Office submission. See the [Companies Office website](https://companies-register.companiesoffice.govt.nz/) for official requirements. **How do I manage trusts under the Trusts Act 2019?** The Trusts Act 2019 introduced new record-keeping and disclosure requirements. Connectworks supports these with trust ledger accounting, Section 45 record-keeping, beneficiary disclosure tracking, and distribution management.